Artificial eye comprising an eye implant and a connecting support for an eye-simulating member



Oct. 23, 1951 J. H. WILSON 2,572,416

ARTIFICIAL EYE COMP ING AN EYE IMPLANT AND A CONNECTING SUPPORT F ANEYE-SIMULAT MEMBER June 30, 194

F led Patented Oct. 23, I951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ARTIFICIAL EYECOMPRISING AN EYE IM- PLANT AND A CONNECTING SUPPORT FOR ANEYE-SIMULATING MEMBER Joseph H. Wilson, La Mesa, Calif.

Application June 30, 1947, Serial No. 758,090

6 Claims.

tlOIl. are I First, to provide an implant and connection which actuatesan artificial eye in a substantially natural manner whereby almostcomplete natural appearance and movement of an artificial eye may beobtained.

Second, to provide an artificial eye comprising an eye implant and aconnecting support for an eye-simulating member which is directlyconnected to the original muscles of the natural eye removed prior toinstallation of the artificial eye implant.

Third, to provide an artificial eye implant and support having animplant made of certain materials so constructed that the tissue andother parts adjacent the eye will grow into and around said implantmaking it an integral part of the eye socket.

Fourth, to provide an artificial eye comprising an eye implant and aconnecting support for an eye-simulating member having an implant whichprovides a substantially floating arrangement of the eye in the socketwhereby the slight pressure of the eyelid on the outer surface of theeye holds the same backwardly against the implant cap.

Fifth, to provide an artificial eye of this class which bearssubstantially at the middle portion thereof against the implant at theback side of said artificial eye relieving the bearing at the back sideof the eye outwardly of said implant.

Sixth, to provide an artificial eye comprising an eye implant and aconnecting support for an eye-simulating member which is very easy toinstall.

Seventh, to provide an artificial eye comprising an eye implant and aconnecting support for an eye-simulating member having an implantprovided with muscle connection portions almost identical in position tothose of the origin-a1 eye.

Eighth, to provide an artificial eye comprising an eye implant and aconnecting support for an eye-simulating member which provides muscularexercise of the remaining portions of the socket and eye actuationmuscles, preventing the same from goin dormant whereby naturalappearance of the eye socket is maintained.

Ninth, to provide an artificial eye and support therefor having animplant in which a connecting cap is screw threaded completely enclosingthe outer face of the socket whereby growth of the eye socket does notinterfere with the instaL- lation or actuation of the artificial eye inconnection with the implant.

Tenth, to provide an artificial eye and support therefor having apositive activating mechanism for moving the artificial eye in a varietyofdirections within the capabilities of the muscles of the natural eye,and

Eleventh, to provide an artificial eye and support therefor which isvery simple and economical of construction, efiicient in operation, andwhich will not readily deteriorate or get out of order.

With these and other objects in view, as will appear hereinafter, myinvention consists of certain novel features of construction,combination and arrangement of parts and portions as will be hereinafterdescribed in detail and particularly set forth in the appended claims,reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the charactersof reference thereon forming a part of this application in which:

Figure 1 is an edge elevational view of my artificial eye showingportions thereof broken away and in section to amplify the illustration.Figure 2 is an edge elevational view of the implant cap of my artificialeye implant and support therefor showing portions thereof broken awayand in section to amplify the illustration. Figure 3 is a sideelevational view of the implant of my artificial eye and supporttherefor. Figure 4 is a rear elevational view of my artificial eye takenfrom the line 4-4 of Figure 1. Figure 5 is a front elevational view ofthe cap as shown in Figure 2 of the drawings taken from the line 55 ofFigure 2, and Figure 6 is a sectional view taken from the line 6-6 ofFigure 3 showin'g'internal details of the implant of my artificial eyeimplant and support therefor.

The implant l is a cup-shaped member preferably made of plasticmaterial, tantalum or any other suitable material as desired. Thisimplant l is provided with musicle connection openings in arranged toreceive the ends of the natural eye musicles which have been cut loosefrom the original natural eye. These openings la are substantiallydegrees apart as shown in Figure 6 of the drawings and communicate withthe'Ti'nterior of the implant which is also provided with openingssubstantially 45 degrees from the openings la rearwardly thereofdesignated lb which openings lb provide for growth of the socket 'eye iscomplete.

around and into the implant after it has been installed. Inwardly of theopen end of the implant I is provided an internally screw threadedportion lc arranged to receive the externally screw threaded plugportion 2a of the cap 2. Surroundin the screw threaded portion I is arecessed annular groove Id arranged to receive a portion of theconjunction held by a purse string suture enclosing the socket of theoriginal natural eye about the periphery of said implant I. In the endof the implant l is provided an indexing recess le arranged to indicatethe placement of the cap 2 and the implant l relatively to the normallyvertical axis of the persons face in which the implant I is installed.The screw-threads lo and 2a orientate the cap 2 with the groove 20vertically disposed, and the groove 21) horizontally disposed, wherebythe index I6 is maintained vertical when the screwthreads is and 2a aretightly engaged. The front .side of the cap 2 is provided with crossedrecess portions 212 and 2c. The recess portion 212 is normally arrangedto be in horizontal position while the recess portion 20 is arranged tobe in vertical position when installed. The rear side of the artificialeye 3 is provided with cross projecting portions 30. and 3b arranged tofit in the recess portions 212 and 20 respectively of the cap 2. Slightpressure of the eyelid on the outer contour 30 of the artificial eye 3holds the cross pro-1 jecting portion 3a and 3b .in the .recess portions2b and 20 respectively of the cap 2.

The operation of my artificial eye and support therefor is substantiallyas follows:

The implant l is first installed in the eye socket after the originalnatural eye has been removed. The indexing portion le of the implant iis placed at the top of the eye socket and the four muscles removed fromthe original natural eye are drawn through the openings la in theimplant and are tied together at the middle thereof where they growtogether. The conjunctiva of the eye is drawn around the annular grooveId and secured 'therearound with a pursestring suture. The tissues thengrow through the openings 1 b and completely fill the inside of theimplant l. After a few weeks the implant I becomes an integral part ofthe eye socket. As soon as the conjunctiva is sutured the cap 2 isscrewed .into place in the cap .on an axis with the recess portions 2bis placed horizontally and this cap will, after being tightened in placein connection with the implant I, remain in fixed relationship to thesocket of the original eye. In this manner the cap 2 will always remainoutside the conjunctiva and the recessed crossed connections engaged bythe projecting crossed connections of the artificial eye permit themuscles of the socket in connection with the openings id of the implantI to move the artificial eye 3 in any direction within the capabilitiesof the muscles actuating the remaining natural eye. It will be notedthat after the implant has been installed and as soon as the stitchesare removed from the socket the artificial eye may be installed. It maybe a blank eye when first installed until such time as the finishedmatched The engagement of the eyelid with the outer surface 30 of theartificial eye maintains the same in its connected relationship with thecap. Thus the artificial eye is a substantially floating structure andthe bearing thereof is entirely on the cap at the rear side thereofwhich permits the muscles connected to the implant l to actuate theartificial eye 3 in an almost completely natural manner. Actuation ofthe implant l, cap 2 and artificial eye 3 provides natural exercise forthe eye muscles preventing the same from growing dormant thus the eyesocket is maintained in its natural form.

Though I have shown and described a particular construction, combinationand arrangement of parts and portions, I do not wish to be limited tothis particular construction, combination, and arrangement, but desireto include in the scope of my invention the construction, combinationand arrangement substantially as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

.1. In an artificial eye comprising an eye implant and a connectingsupport for an eye-simulating member, a substantially hollow cup-shapedimplant having four holes therein adapted to i receive natural eyemuscles after they have been removed from the original eye, said implanthaving an annular groove therein surrounding the same forwardly of saidopenings for receiving said muscles arranged to support a pursestringsuture for connecting the conjunctiva of the eye.

2. In an artificial eye comprising an eye implant and a connectingsupport for an eye-simulating member, a substantially hollow cup-shapedimplant having four holes-therein adapted to receive natural eye musclesafter they have been removed from the original eye, said implant havinggrowth holes rearwardly of said holes for receiving said muscles.

3. In an artificial eye implant and support therefor, an implant memberhaving means'for connection of the natural eye muscles thereto, saidmember having an internally screw-threaded portion and a cap having anexternally screwthreaded plug adapted to be inserted in said internallyscrew-threaded portion of said implant, said cap having connection meansfor supporting an artificial eye. 4. In an artificial eye implant andsupport therefor, an implant member having means for connection of thenatural eye muscles thereto, said member having an internallyscrew-threaded portion and a cap having an externally screwthreaded plugadapted to be inserted in said internally screw-threaded portion of saidimplant, said cap having connection means for supporting an artificialeye, said connecting means in the form of crossed recess portions.

5. In an artificial eye implant and support therefor, an implant memberhaving means for connection of the natural eye muscles thereto, saidmember having an internally screw-threaded portion and a cap having anexternally screwthreaded plug adapted to be inserted in said internallyscrew-threaded portion of said implant, said cap having connection meansfor supporting an artificial eye, said connecting means in the form ofcrossed recess portions, an artificial eye having crossed projectionportions engaging said crossed recess portions of said cap.

6. In an artificial eye implant and support therefor, an implant memberhaving means for connection of the natural eye muscles thereto, a

cap, removably connected to said implant, an artificial eye inconnection with said cap, said cap 5 6 and said artificial eye havingintermeshing crossed FOREIGN PATENTS projection and recess portions.Number Country Date JOSEPH H. WILSON. 9, 5 Great Britain Nov. 1, 1892 5OTHER REFERENCES REFERENCES CITED Ruedemann, A. D., Plastic EyeImplant-Ameri- The following references are of record in the can Journalof Ophthalmology, August 1946, pages file of this patent: 947-952. (Copyin Div. 55.)

A Basket Type Implant for Use After Enuclea- UNITED STATES PATENTS 10tion, by N. L. Cutler, Archives of Ophthalmology, Number Name D t vol.35 #2 pp. 71-83. (A copy in the Army Medi- 2,322,117 Dimitry Jun 15,1943 cal Library, Washington, D. C.)

